1. Losing Our Spines to Save Our Necks

Comment #176162 by Fire1974 on May 6, 2008 at 5:51 pm

And if anyone in this debate can be credibly accused of racism, it is the western apologists and "multiculturalists" who deem Arabs and Muslims too immature to shoulder the responsibilities of civil discourse.

2. Happy Birthday, Richard Dawkins!

Comment #150307 by Fire1974 on March 26, 2008 at 5:19 pm

Happy Birthday, Richard!

It seems like yesterday I was posing on this thread last year[?] as an
actual "New Atheist". Brand spanking new really.

Thank you again, for creating this site and for all your Books and writings and lectures I've enjoyed so much in this last year, and for years to come.

3. Police: Girl Dies After Parents Pray for Healing Instead of Seeking Medical Help

Comment #149824 by Fire1974 on March 26, 2008 at 9:10 am

The girl's parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, attributed the death to "apparently they didn't have enough faith," the police chief said.

4. Discussion on PZ Myers being expelled from Expelled

Comment #148165 by Fire1974 on March 22, 2008 at 8:24 am

tgibbs: You beat me to it.

I should've known my tawdry understanding of cellular function would be trumped here.

I think the main point is that these cellular functions, although amazing in the sense that they actually occur, do not go about in the efficient and streamlined way they are depicted in the videos. In reality, evolution has jerry-rigged these processes from 'spare-parts'. They are very clumsy and could do with some more evolving if it be advantageous to the organism.

While I still think the films are a great teaching tool. They also can be easily misconstrued and anthropomorphized by the ignorant to propagate this idea that, "It's so brilliant, it must be designed". Which is absurd in itself but, as we see all too often, the DUMBino effect clamors on.

5. Atheists claim censorship by billboard company

Comment #146292 by Fire1974 on March 18, 2008 at 10:16 pm

Opinion shall never be governed!

This law is absolute!

Feel free to disagree.

6. I don't believe in atheists

Comment #143782 by Fire1974 on March 14, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Fucktard, Fucktard, Fucktard!

I've seen both debates with Hitch and Harris.
Fucktard vehemently defends...no position at all.
Every statement is just a long, drawn out load of combative white-noise. I couldn't imagine watching an idiot contest between him and some xian fundie.

He's a complete waste of time.
Makes me angry that I bothered.

7. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #138057 by Fire1974 on March 3, 2008 at 8:34 pm

Damn!!! I'm going to be out of town when he's in NY.
I hate to miss it. Oh well, I'll just have to be another lonely atheist
in Florida that weekend. I never can find many fellow, free-minds down there. : (

How about a stop in South Florida Professor?

8. The Giant Tortoise's Tale

Comment #133765 by Fire1974 on February 26, 2008 at 5:55 pm

"The Ancestors Tale is simply crying out to be the next major 13 part series for BBC2."

9. Evidence can't shake your faith if your faith excludes it as evidence

Comment #132464 by Fire1974 on February 24, 2008 at 7:29 pm

When confronted by the faithful, I like to say that I'll believe in [insert your favorite dogma] for any reason at all. As long as I actually think it's true. Even if I can't verify that belief to anyone else. But as it stands now, I think that [insert your favorite dogma] sounds like a pile of mind suppressing, unconvincing horse-shit.

If there come a day when I have some 'road to Damascus' moment that actually convinces me to believe in [insert your favorite dogma] there I'll be, believing it. But what I sure-as-hell won't do is insist that other people give me the slightest bit of credibility for my unverifiable convictions.

10. Richard Dawkins on five of his favorite books

Comment #132318 by Fire1974 on February 24, 2008 at 3:35 pm

I'd be remiss if I didn't strongly recommend The Inheritors to everyone here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Inheritors_(William_Golding)

11. Richard Dawkins on five of his favorite books

Comment #132303 by Fire1974 on February 24, 2008 at 3:15 pm

Just sticking to fiction fav-OR-ites:
The Inheritors-William Golding
The Great Gatsby-F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Sun Also Rises-Ernest Hemingway
A Clockwork Orange-Anthony Burgess
Middlesex- Jeffery Eugenides

APPlet: I can't believe I'm not the only one here to have read Aztec. I loved it, but it just couldn't mingle with the above company.

12. Richard Dawkins talks about The God Delusion

Comment #122941 by Fire1974 on February 6, 2008 at 9:32 am

I literally just finished TGD just now, at 12:10pm EST, it has been a long time coming. I had meant to read it months ago but was already sold on the idea that god was a delusion. However, as with all Prof. Dawkins books I've read, it has fantastically removed much of my conceptual 'burka'. Thank you!

I am now proud to say that I have read: The God Delusion, The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, Breaking the Spell, God is Not Great, The Ancestors Tail, The Blind Watchmaker, The Selfish Gene, Guns, Germs and Steel and Carl Sagan's Cosmos within the last year and a half.

They have changed my life.

13. Happy Birthday Josh Timonen!

Comment #118906 by Fire1974 on January 31, 2008 at 6:40 am

Happy Birthday Josh!
You do great work.
I appreciate it every day.

14. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116936 by Fire1974 on January 27, 2008 at 8:29 pm

This experiment is awesome!
Isn't it great how scientists will put their biggest and most hard-sought theories right on the front line to be proven or proven wrong.

For all I know, this could prove god's existence and I would accept that. But when it doesn't, and likely contributes, once again, toward the opposite result; will those who already "know" everything "through faith" give up an inch? Even after they've bravely risked nothing?

Absolutely not.

15. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116924 by Fire1974 on January 27, 2008 at 7:43 pm

Would you mind saying where you are? Only as specifically as you wish to.

16. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116922 by Fire1974 on January 27, 2008 at 7:37 pm

Radesq:

I did.
I also tried to explain that WE are a transitional species and how
antithetical the idea of an 'accident' is to evolutionary theory.

I think their unconscious tactic is to just keep jumping
topics as if the new topic refutes my last point.

I can only hope that I got them thinking... perhaps for the first time.

17. The Science behind the Large Hadron Collider

Comment #116916 by Fire1974 on January 27, 2008 at 7:26 pm

[Off Topic]

Sorry,
I just had a couple of JW's at my door.
I was giving them my usual diatribe,( telling they were
full of shit in the nicest way I could) when the evolution topic
came about.
The guy said he was a science teacher ('god' knows where) and he then attempted to ask me where all the the transitional fossils were and gave me the 'wrist-watch in a whirlwind' argument.

Science Teacher !!!?? SCIENCE TEACHER !!!??

I was horrified.

They then proceeded to tell me they positively wished for a world theocracy! It was all I could do not to slam the door in their sick little faces. I'm not a violent person, but I feel like punching something; thought I'd make it a keyboard.

Had to vent.

Sorry

18. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #116497 by Fire1974 on January 26, 2008 at 4:12 pm

I want to believe John will go to a museum and read TGD, I really, really want to.

[Muttering to myself ] 'John will go to a museum and read TGD. John will go to a museum and read TGD. John will go to a museum and read TGD. John will go to a museum and read TGD. John will go to a museum and read TGD.'

Damn! This just isn't working. I still don't believe he will.
Oh well.

19. The God Delusion: Now Available in US Paperback

Comment #113174 by Fire1974 on January 18, 2008 at 6:43 pm

Just HAD to burst my bubble didn't you.

20. The God Delusion: Now Available in US Paperback

Comment #113158 by Fire1974 on January 18, 2008 at 5:38 pm

I bought it 2 days ago at Barnes & Noble, along with the paperback of Letter to a Christian Nation. I'm so In-Vogue these days!

21. 'Letter to a Christian Nation' now available in paperback

Comment #111790 by Fire1974 on January 15, 2008 at 6:58 pm

I Just bought the paperback. Even though I have the audiobook that I, (like Jayday) have listened to a number of times. It is quite therapeutic to listen. I my world, there are so few people who want to have this conversation so the audio is akin to a sort of Pavlovian satisfaction.
Anyway, the new afterward is fantastic. I've heard much of it before, but it is nonetheless beautifully and concisely put together as always. Worth the $11.00 absolutely!

22. Two Ex-Jehovah Witnesses to Tell Why They Became Atheists

Comment #110266 by Fire1974 on January 10, 2008 at 7:36 pm

I too am touched by the stories from fireface & Strigoia.

I would like to bring to light the fact that ANY religion (if taken seriously) is just as mind mind shackling and controlling as another.

I am a refugee from a fundamentalist Christian/Lutheran upbringing. I can remember being taught how crazy and misguided those JW's and Mormons were by my sunday-school teachers. In my formative-christian years I would engage in debate with those missionaries and "pioneers" who knocked on my door about their "misinterpretation" of the bible. Little did I know, I was just as misguided and subjugated as they were.

Even though I love it when Sam Harris says, "Mormonism is just Christianity, plus some rather stupid ideas." All religion is just consciousness, plus some rather stupid ideas.

23. Two Ex-Jehovah Witnesses to Tell Why They Became Atheists

Comment #109968 by Fire1974 on January 10, 2008 at 7:38 am

I recently had a long talk with two JW women who came to my door. They were completely unprepared for someone who knew the bible well, yet had no respect for it's authority.

They repeatedly sited verses where god declared his greatness and his wonderful, totalitarian vision for our lives and souls. They were aghast at my polite, yet outright dismissal of these "because I said so" statements. It had never occurred to them to ask themselves why they've accepted this "deal".

It is clearly ALL about submission in this cult.

24. What have you changed your mind about? Why?

Comment #105609 by Fire1974 on January 1, 2008 at 8:05 am

I'm almost embarrassed to say that last night I was actually reading The Selfish Gene, in bed, at midnight! I finished Ch7 and started Ch8, actually. And the coincidences abound this morning finding this article. I'm almost inclined to think something spooky is going on...Oh right, that's just my mammalian, superstitious tendencies. Thank Goodness!

25. Pope's exorcist squads will wage war on Satan

Comment #104716 by Fire1974 on December 29, 2007 at 8:05 am

Is everyone sure this isn't the crafty work of the Onion or some other spoof artist? That was my first reaction. Sometimes I really can't tell the difference.

26. When Congress Interferes With Science, Who You Gonna Call? (Hint: It's not Ghostbusters)

Comment #85822 by Fire1974 on November 7, 2007 at 9:20 am

I'm a member. ARE YOU???

I have not been bombarded with email nearly enough by them. I love to get emails where a simple forward can help the voice of reason be heard in public policy.

"(before our "one nation indivisible" was divided, in 1954, along religious lines.)"

27. Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

Comment #83953 by Fire1974 on October 31, 2007 at 7:46 pm

EXCELLENT!!!
In my favorites. Can't wait to read it again.
This is precisely the approach Hitchens needed against D'souza.
That little weasel hid behind so much obscurity it was like watching Hitchens catch flies with chopsticks.

28. Help Counter the New Atheist Crusade to 'Evangelize' America!

Comment #79446 by Fire1974 on October 17, 2007 at 9:20 am

USA_Limey:

I agree. It is fantastic to have these books mentioned. Especially in those circles. However, it is irritating to hear them blatantly misrepresent the arguments and recommend "starting early" with indoctrinating children and so on; but of course, what should I expect?

29. Help Counter the New Atheist Crusade to 'Evangelize' America!

Comment #79431 by Fire1974 on October 17, 2007 at 8:45 am

If you don't mind being outraged, or need a new monitor anyway, you can follow this link to their website and watch their slanderous video.

http://www.coralridge.org/

The misrepresentations, straw men, and just plain mind-numbing ignorance are almost too much to bear.

30. Sam Harris seems like a nice fellow, but very confused

Comment #77385 by Fire1974 on October 9, 2007 at 7:20 am

I wholeheartedly agree with both Sam and PZ. They're both making the same point from opposite corners of the ring. The painless solution is for US to say, "Call me what you will, this is my position..."
WE'RE better off putting this bantering behind US before WE split into denominations,(Dawkholics? and Harrisians?). Yes, WE have a common cause. But WE don't all have to wear the same T-shirt! I like the "A" shirts and I would gladly stand behind Sam on any platform while wearing one.
OUR diversity is unavoidable, and OUR greatest asset. LET'S get past this. And do it quickly.

31. Good News: Both our Foundations are now Officially Recognized as Charities

Comment #70451 by Fire1974 on September 15, 2007 at 2:29 pm

I can't wait to tell my accountant about this and make a donation!

I've been wondering what to do with all those dollars I've saved from the church collection plate.

32. Bible Belter

Comment #68177 by Fire1974 on September 6, 2007 at 9:44 am

Hitchens uses the term "mammal" not only to refer to his opponent but to himself as well. In reading the book (which I've done a couple of times) his use of the word is clearly intended to proclaim the obvious truth, that we are all evolved creatures who's, "prefrontal lobes are too small and our adrenal glands too big an our thumb and forefinger opposition isn't all that it might be and we're afraid of the dark and afraid of dying..." as he's said in other places.

I also think his "no child's behind left" is intended to be vulgar in order to emphasize the vulgarity of the situation, but can easily be mis-construed as callousness. I like his other "left behind" joke better; in reference to the pathetically so named books by Jenkins and Lehay. These two morons have obviously been 'left behind' in educational and literary sense.

33. Teresa, Bright and Dark

Comment #66349 by Fire1974 on August 29, 2007 at 6:37 pm

Hitchens is not alone among the "Four Horsemen of the Counter-apocalypse" to be disenchanted with the idea of a woman in a situation where she feels it necessary to destroy her fetus. Sam Harris finds it an "ugly reality" and so do I.
However, if you are Pro-Choice, you think that the government (much less the church) should never have authority in her decision, and so do I. But I think we can all agree having an abortion is never a pleasant experience emotionally or physically for her and, says Harris, "we should all hope for [scientific] advances in contraception that will make it unnecessary."
They also write that whatever sympathy for or understanding of the fetus we may gain, it will be by the light of science and reason (not faith) that makes that possible, as it has already with sonar imaging.

34. CNN Request for 'I-Reports' on religion

Comment #65021 by Fire1974 on August 22, 2007 at 4:41 pm

This is the least we can do. I posted but sent it to quickly without saving it. You all don't need to read it anyway, 'they' do. I hope everyone here posts, even Darwin2 and Wee Flea and the like. Although, I doubt they'll have anything interesting to say to their own ilk.

35. The Out Campaign

Comment #60197 by Fire1974 on August 1, 2007 at 9:47 am

WeeFlea:

As I am late in the discussion here, would it be too much of me to ask that we make our positions clear. I'll go first.

An atheist(which I am) is one who sees no evidence for the existence of a supernatural deity and therefore does not lend creedence to claims for its existence so long as there is no evidence for this deity with whom we humans are said to have a cause/effect relationship. To quote Hitchens, "What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."

What is your position exactly? By way of comparison, where do your beliefs stand in relation to the Nicene Creed?

"We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen."

36. God-Fearing People: Why are we so scared of offending Muslims?

Comment #60046 by Fire1974 on July 31, 2007 at 4:41 pm

I don't know who this book flushing guy is but, at the very most, he is unwittingly brilliant in exposing these CAIR people for the promulgators of theocracy that they are.

The Christian Right should feel very exposed as well. But I think they're too 'rapture ready' to notice.

37. God-Fearing People: Why are we so scared of offending Muslims?

Comment #60038 by Fire1974 on July 31, 2007 at 3:29 pm

I found my copy right next to Pope Benedict's Book. I couldn't have shelved it better myself.

38. God-Fearing People: Why are we so scared of offending Muslims?

Comment #60031 by Fire1974 on July 31, 2007 at 2:48 pm

I've just returned from a Target store where I was surprised as hell to find 'God is Not Great' in their meager book section. I've already enjoyed the audiobook from iTunes(it's read by Hitch himself), but I had to buy a hard copy from Target just out of civic duty. I recommend anyone who can to do the same,(but leave the last one just to maintain the exposure). I wonder if it's in Targets in Kansas( I'm in NY state)?

BTW: This article is yet another brilliant distillation of Hitchen's astute wisdom.

39. OUT Campaign Launched, 'Scarlet Letter' Shirts Now Available!

Comment #59770 by Fire1974 on July 30, 2007 at 3:33 pm

I would love to see them make a baseball hat( or stocking/scullie cap). Same logo, same color options. I would feel more comfortable wearing a hat, I don't know why, I just would, and I could wear it more often.

I guess you loose the Hawthornian reference with a hat...but I still want one!

Maybe I will get a navy shirt anyway, and the black sticker for my guitar case. I'm not scared. I'm all for it.

It's not as if I'm going to act confrontational while wearing it.
I don't HAVE to scream at people on the subway. Most faith-heads wouldn't have a clue what the shirt/hat meant anyway.

40. Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour

Comment #59543 by Fire1974 on July 29, 2007 at 1:11 pm

Once again, wonderful to be posting below Dr. Dawkins.

This is a link to the entire conference as recorded by authorized cameras.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxJJXdnnOIA&mode=related&search=

I tried to watch, but was unable to tolerate the mindless, phony blandishments the two tribes "dignitaries" bestowed upon eachother. It was just to much to bear. And then came the music!

I was horrified by the letter from President Bush read at the opening by Hagee.

The U.S. has really sunk itself into a deep, dark hole of appocalyptic dogmatism. We're in it up to our President!

41. Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour

Comment #59229 by Fire1974 on July 28, 2007 at 12:23 pm

So let me get this strait.
These psychopaths are in support of Israel but only in terms of destroying their enemies(Muslims)?
&
Someone who would work to promote peace by means of political compromise between the two would be allied with Satan?
&
This is the driving mentality of our former House Majority Leader as well as much of our current government?
&
They are implicitly promoting war between Jews and Arabs based on Revelation and the intellectually deprived writings of Tim Lehay?

These people are INSANE!!! And their running our country.

Sam Harris is right, we've got an emergency on our hands.

42. Don't eat at the Outback Steakhouse on Route 3...

Comment #58974 by Fire1974 on July 26, 2007 at 8:24 pm

I think it's great that there are Fundamentalist Christians reading this right now.
I would like to be the first to formally invite them to the table. WELCOME!!!
Don't worry, Richard Dawkins will "allow" you to post whatever crazy crap you want you want.

Example: All of us atheists will roast in the fires of Hell for all eternity because of our unrepentant transgressions unto your vendictive, hateful, pathetic and imaginary God.

See... Still here.

43. Reporter's Religion Beat Leads to Faith Crisis

Comment #58686 by Fire1974 on July 25, 2007 at 7:06 pm

I can remember feeling the same way when I began to shed faith. It was like breaking a bad habit. I knew it was all bullshit, but it took a while to come to grips with that. I suppose you have to start out mourning in a way, (as Lobdell apparently is). However, when I truly realized I was free to see the world for what it is, it was the best experience. I've thrown away that 'list of questions to ask God when I die' and become a dry-sponge for knowledge. I can't learn enough. I've gone back to school(premed) and I'm loving every molecule of it. It's amazing what you can do when your mind isn't occupied by needless superstition.

44. Camp Joins Summer Fun With Teaching Hindu Faith

Comment #58627 by Fire1974 on July 25, 2007 at 12:29 pm

In my youth, I had the pleasure of going to:

Vacation_Bible_School

And yes, It was a complete and total contradiction in every way possible.

45. In defense of dangerous ideas

Comment #58175 by Fire1974 on July 23, 2007 at 9:33 pm

A dangerous idea might be, "Are people of Eurasian decent intellectually superior to other ethnicities, given that Eurasians were the first to develop written language and farming, as well as conquer four other continents ect.?"

The wrong way to answer this question is to immediately brandish it as elitist racism (even though it is).

The right way would be how Jared Diamond investigates it scientifically, (read Guns, Germs and Steel). He discovers that geography and natural recourses have everything to do with it and not the organisms(us) themselves. Hence there is no evidence for a racial/ethnic precursor to greater intelligence.

The point Pinker is making is that we should REALLY answer these questions and not let reactionary thinking hinder science and inquiry.

46. Is there an Artificial God?

Comment #57731 by Fire1974 on July 20, 2007 at 8:08 pm

Dr. Dawkins,
It is a privilege to post below you. If you are reading, I would like to thank you for this site and all your brilliant work. The real world, as you strive to reveal it, is so much better for having had the likes of you and Adams in it.

47. Interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #56895 by Fire1974 on July 17, 2007 at 5:29 pm

I think it is important for all of us watching this video, and others like it, to follow the links to youtube and rate them with five stars.

So many faith-heads/religious sympathizers have just never given the matter much critical thought. We need people to see these videos on the front page of youtube.

48. Bush, the ethicist-in-chief

Comment #56063 by Fire1974 on July 13, 2007 at 3:03 pm

Apparently, it's a perfectly acceptable Christian principle to destroy lives in order to save souls. That is the idiocy we're up against; laws and lawmakers that protect nonexistent souls at the expense of real lives.

49. Scientists Find Earliest Sign of Cultivated Crops in Americas

Comment #52962 by Fire1974 on June 28, 2007 at 6:37 pm

Fantastic!
I'm right now reading Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.
If true, this discovery alters a lot of the information and charts in that book. The overall premise of the book is still fascinating. It completely dismantles the relevance of any racist assumption regarding why the Europeans conquered the Americas.

Creationist/fundies have never imagined the depth and explanitory genius in this book. They should all read it and discover that religion was not even possible until there was enough food production to allow for it's promulgators. You can't feed a delusion without extra food.

50. The Great Mutator

Comment #49674 by Fire1974 on June 12, 2007 at 9:29 pm

I'd like to print copies of this article and include it as a free insert to every copy of The Edge of Evolution and Darwin's Black Box.

When will Behe's publishers cease to reproduce this tripe? The man has been so openly and repeatedly discredited. He is obviously a compulsive liar who unfortunately has found a credulous and desperate audience to rip off. What an a$#hole!!!

Thank Random-Mutation for Jerry Coyne!